War Babies
by Prime627
Summary: Optimus is trying to keep his troops in line, and then they find a box of triplets in the Dumpster. He can't say no to their pleads to keep them, but he can't exactly get rid of them, so the little sparklings wind up part of Optimus' army...but for how long before the Decepticons wipe them off the face of Cybertron? (Based loosely from the story of Philly the Dog, an actual story!)
1. Chapter 1

Optimus was alerted to the fact that there was something wrong in his base in Iacon when the soldiers started running by his office, _shh_ -ing each other. They casted nervous glances towards his office, and so he got up.

He walked into the soldier's bunker and crossed his arms. The smiles and giggles faded as they looked up at him and they dropped their helms in shame.

Inside their circle was a box that formerly contained three newborn sparklings. They were still sticky with Energon and their carrier's birth fluids, and they were tiny. One of his soldiers were cupping one in his servos, stroking the helm with a thumb.

"Okay," Optimus said softly as he uncrossed his arms. "Who was carrying when they came in here?"

The tension in the room vanished and the ones holding the sparklings jumped up to show the Prime.

One was all red with blue optics. The second was white and red and wailing loudly in fear, his blue optics squeezed tightly shut as if he was scared of seeing the mechs. The last was also red and white, but he was calmer and purring gently.

"This one we called Perceptor, but Percy for short," the mech said, holding up the little all-red sparkling.

"This is Red Alert," offered the mech holding the wailing sparkling. "We think he's a little shook up and anxious."

The quietest mech held up the last sparkling. "We don't have a name for this little one yet," he said softly as he stroked the little one's helm with his thumb.

"Where did you find these?" Optimus took the wailing sparkling, who suddenly calmed down and blinked wearily up at Optimus. The Matrix thrummed in his chest and he smiled gently. He held him closer to it, looking around the room to find the answer.

"In the Dumpster out back," one of the soldiers (Mirage, who was the youngest) "They were sobbing and we heard them while we were exercizing, so we checked out the source, and there were sparklings in the Dumpster! Can you believe that?"

He sighed and he took the three sparklings away. The soldiers blinked at him sadly. "What? Do you think we can just keep them?"

"Well," Mirage started as he rubbed his helm.

"They can be comforters!" someone shouted, and the soldiers nodded in agreement.

Optimus looked down at the sparklings and he sighed. Anyone in this base had to be older than twenty-one million years old, and the mechs were not allowed to spark sparklings. Interfacing was encouraged, and sometimes Optimus Prime himself would find relief with his soldiers, but sparklings were not allowed.

"War babies," he grunted. He considered boxing them up again and hoping some homeless femme had left her sparklings there for safe keeping, but the sparklings were newborn, and hadn't been cleaned. The triplets were born, shoved in the box, and had imprinted on the soldiers. To take them away now would mean to make them orphans twice over. So he shook his digit. "If I hear one sob out of any of you about this, I'll restrict your Energon!"

The soldiers prepped themselves, and a few mechs closed their optics.

"I want you dirty bag of framework to take care of these fleas as if your lives depended on it."

Optimus was promptly tackled, and he laughed softly under the mechs. The sparklings were taken from him and bundled into gentle servos while another mech ran to retrieve a bucket of warm water.

The sparklings mostly enjoyed the water and being bathed. Red Alert sobbed louder and louder until he was finally passed off to Inferno, who was slightly older than Mirage. The sobbing sparkling soothed immediately and even laughed for the first time.

One of the soldiers rubbed his audio. "Either I'm deaf or Inferno made some magic happen with that kid's vocalizer."

Inferno chuckled down at the sparkling and he stroked his helm with his thumb, tickling his pedes with the corner of the rag. Red Alert giggled, and the soldiers prodded him.

"Ooooh, mated at first sight!"

"Shut up," Inferno grumbled, but he smiled at them. He laid Red Alert down on his pillow and he curled up on his bunk.

Perceptor was held in the bucket, and he splashed and laughed softly. He was a giggly little thing that trembled in delight and took an instant interest with datapads. He paddled his little pedes in the water and squeaked when he was taken away from the bucket. He squirmed and giggled in the towel, gripping the fabric and yawning softly as he fell asleep under the gaze of the troops.

The last sparkling was asleep in Optimus' servos, who was convinced this one had the spark of a medic. As soon as he whispered it to the sparkling, it twitched and mewed, curling its tiny servo around his digit. That was enough proof for Optimus, and he surrendered the little one to his field medic, Ratchet.

"Alright," he said as he clapped his servos. "Lights out in five. Interface with who you want. I will be in my office."

Ironhide followed Optimus to his office, and the larger mech sat down on his desk while the Prime stroked his face.

"It's too bad I can't spark ya."

"I know you would," he purred and he guided the mech onto his lap, kissing him and gently cupping his cheek.

In the morning, Optimus woke up with Ironhide still impaled, and he set him on his pedes after waking him up. "Let us check on the sparklings," he purred gently.

The troops were still sleeping. Most of the mechs were on the floor, tangled in several other arms of several mechs, and few mechs were exposed to their Prime. The sparklings were tucked in pillow cases and kept away from the fragging mechs.

Optimus woke his troops and helped them clean up themselves, the floor, and for reasons Optimus wasn't sure he wanted to know, the wall.

The sparklings were left to sleep while the mechs went out to train, who were going about it happily and quickly, and when Optimus dismissed them to shower, they were in and out so quickly Optimus didn't get to see his regular chair-mate in the shower. They were already tending to the fussing sparklings.

Optimus watched as he leaned in the doorway, smiling. He usually didn't let himself think this, but the thought slipped.

 _Everything will be okay._

Why would he think such a thing?


	2. Chapter 2

Optimus was proud of his troops. Weeks had passed, and the sparklings were learning to crawl, and they were staggering after the troops. The little medic sparkling (nicknamed Aid by Ratchet), would hurry out of the MedBay and jump at his brothers, forcing them to the ground and giggling when they struggled under his large body. They were happy and cheerful all the time, even when the troops came back battered and worn. Optimus watched Ironhide grow less and less optimistic and more and more irritated with the giggling things. Once, he caught the old mech kicking Aid away from him, but after he looked up and saw everyone's pained expression, he hadn't lashed out at the sparklings again.

The sparklings were learning to walk when Optimus walked in with a box of supplies. Perceptor was clinging to Mirage's digits, and Red Alert walked on Inferno's pedes. They squealed in delight when they saw Optimus and they scrabbled to meet him, tripping on nothing and scrabbling over themselves.

He handed off the Energon and ammo to the nearest mech and pulled out a chair at the card table where the oldest soldiers (Ironhide, Brawn, and Jazz) in Optimus' small troop of mechs were playing a game, one Optimus hardly ever won, but still enjoyed to play. He listened in on their conversation.

Brawn was rearranging his cards. "I hope someone will shoot down that assassin soon," he grumbled. He flicked two cards down and Ironhide grunted, tossing out two of his own cards in reply to Brawn's "act of war". Jazz whistled and dropped two cards, and all optics were on Optimus.

He grunted and laid down two cards as well. Jazz won, and he took the cards laying on the table into his servos, and the war began again.

"Assassin?" Ironhide raised an optic ridge. "I've been busy shootin' Reflector...I ain't seen no assassin..."

"She's this purple Seeker, big attitude, red optics..." Brawn growled as he lost the next war, and he put his last card out, not expecting much as he blinked at the red mech. "She's got this cheap name, too."

"Nightfury," Jazz offered, snickering when Brawn swatted his helm. "No good?"

Brawn was out of the game, and Optimus feared he would soon join him, but he won the next round and he looked at Brawn.

"Nah, her name's Nighthawk. What sick carrier would call her that?"

Jazz shuffled his cards, grinning at his selection. Optimus knew he was about to lose big time, but for now his death was delayed. Jazz looked Brawn up and down. "I was about to ask the same question to you, and then I realized you were mech."

Brawn kicked him under the table and Jazz yelped. Blaster looked up from playing with the sparklings and he growled a warning. Optimus did as well, even though Jazz wasn't his mate.

"Anyway, Optimus. You know who I'm talking about, don't you?"

Ironhide lost the game and he mocked flipped the table. Optimus patted his shoulder, looking at Brawn to answer. "I do. She could be convinced onto our side..."

"That's our Optimus, always hopeful." Jazz beat his Prime at the war game and joked about how he should be in charge now. Ironhide fished around in subspace and dropped a sack of Energon goodies on the card table. Optimus saved a servoful for the sparklings, knowing they would appreciate something sweeter than Low Grade, which was actually quite bitter now that it was spoiling.

"No chance, Optimus. She's firmly Decepticon." He leaned forward. "Heard she was cuddling up to Megatron himself."

Inferno shouted across the room. "Nighthawk? Heard she was in Silverbolt's lap!" The troops started laughing, and Optimus let them. It was the first time they laughed in a long time, but he made sure they quit when he thought the following jokes were cruel.

Silverbolt was a handsome mech, but that was where his abilities ended. He was a good decoy, a mediocre messenger (Getting a message from him was like playing Comm Link, where there was a line of mechs and the first mech would pass on a random message to the mech beside him and then he would pass on the message to the next mech and so on until the last mech would say what message he got). To hear that an assassin was in love with Silverbolt was like hearing a Predacon had fallen in love with an Insecticon, one graceful, sirenlike creature falling in love with the green film on standing water. The relationship was toxic.

Optimus looked out the window towards Kaon and he rested his chin in an open palm. "Mm..."

The game and goodies were abandoned, and the sparklings were fed and laid to sleep. Briefly, Optimus wondered if the Decepticons had babies, but he quickly dismissed that thought.

 _Of course they didn't. That would be silly_.

 **ooo**

Nighthawk walked to her mate, swinging her hips. "My lord," she purred as she bowed. At her pedes, she made a gag-me face, but it was quickly gone when she looked up and smiled gently. Megatron growled at her presence, but he was never pleased to see her. It always meant she needed something.

"What is it?" He growled lowly at her.

"I have heard tell that the Autobots have sparklings in their troops, but not as soldiers. As _comforters_ , as pets."

"Sparklings!?" Megatron stood, his stolen cape fluttering as he charged her. He stopped when she didn't move. Though she was Seeker, she didn't entertain him by trying to run. She just raised an optic ridge at him.

"Did you not hear me the first time, my lord?" She took a step forward, rested a servo on his chest. "Maybe you should rest..."

"I hear and feel fine!" He struck her, and she fell to her side. He kicked her stomach. "How could you have let this happen? Kill the sparklings. Let no child live in that base!"

"Yes, my lord..."

 **ooo**

No one was thrilled when they learned Silverbolt was coming to stay with them.

"Our base was bombed," he explained. "By Decepticons, you know? So now Ultra Magnus wants me to stay with you."

Optimus set him up in the bunk above Inferno and the sparkling Red Alert, and then, just as every new soldier had to first do, Silverbolt was posted as a guard.

Everyone knew he would mess up, but as they went to bed, no one knew he would fail completely.

Silverbolt was determined not to let anyone down, especially not even Optimus Prime himself! He trembled in excitement at being here, and then he heard her voice.

"Hi, pretty Seeker. Mm, look at you." The blue armored femme with big, blue optics walked up to him, stroking his chest. She was their messenger at Autobot Outpost Alpha 2, and she had gotten his attention right away. She was only around every so often, and no one else seemed to think they even had a messenger alive, but there she was.

"Hello," he said.

She bit her lip in a shy way. "I'm here to see Optimus, but if there's a big, strong guard at his front door, maybe I shouldn't go in..."

"Oh, you can go in, but he's asleep and there's nothing much to see."

"How many big boys you got behind this door?" She put her servos behind her back. A blush crept over her faceplates.

"Oh, a good number, and then we've got three sparklings."

"Sparklings!? Ohhhh, I love sparklings! Can I see them? Quickly? Two minutes..." She bit her lip, and this time, tears filled her optics. "I've always wanted sparklings, but...I'm...I can't..."

Silverbolt hated seeing femmes cry. He told this femme that fact, and there she was, about to sob as if he never even told her. What was he supposed to do? Send her away? "Okay, okay. Don't cry. Just go in, see them quickly, and go out. I'll stand here in case."

"Two minutes," she chirped and she slipped inside.

Once inside, her 'guise was gone. Megatron loved her because she got what he wanted, but she couldn't tell him that the ability to change her physical appearance wasn't fool proof. If it was an altered form, she couldn't always get it back exactly right unless she scanned someone, and even then she had to be careful. Also, her forms only lasted a few joors at most, which wasn't helpful at all during large-scale invasions. And even then, her ability was meant for magicians to wow the public.

The sparklings were tucked away under mech arms, and Nightshade had to be careful as she removed them. The little red and white one in the MedBay was the easiest, and a plushy was laid in his place and quickly tucked in her spark chamber, replacing the toy. The twitchy red and white one was harder as it thrashed through a nightmare, but she eventually got that one and the full red sparkling. Then she closed her chamber. There was just one problem.

Silverbolt had followed her in. "You know," he whispered. "Since you can't carry sparklings..."

She couldn't escape, and she threw up her 'guise quickly as she giggled and blushed, fear making her optics round and her spark hammer.

 **ooo**

When the Autobots woke up, they found Silverbolt laying in the middle of the floor, hugging a full-body pillow, his limp spike exposed. They laughed and Optimus tried to wake him up, and then Inferno found a stuffed toy in Red Alert's place, and similar toys were found where there once was sparklings...

Optimus couldn't imagine Silverbolt's shame or where the sparklings had gone.

 **ooo**

Nighthawk laid the sparklings down before her lord, wincing. There was something wrong with her belly. She could feel it. Could she have parasites? She would have Knock Out check her out later. Megatron lifted the sparklings and he smiled down at them.

"Should we drown you? Or cut your helms off? Or let you bleed out?" He tickled under one of their chins, wincing when he wailed and sobbed. "Primus!" He thrusted them into the arms of Soundwave. "Kill them, will you?"

Nighthawk walked out, stopping when Megatron grabbed her wing and pulled her back inside. "Oh, no..."

"Your reward?" He threw her onto the berth and mounted her aft.

Two frags in one day, she thought as she winced. Either I'm insane, or very good looking. She caught sight of her reflection and curled her lip over her denta.

 _I'm insane._


	3. Chapter 3

Optimus tried to soothe the troops, but he was unable to. They were convinced the Decepticons came in and stole them. That sounded a little ridiculous to Optimus, and then it didn't.

Inferno buried his face in his servos. "They were our future to end this war, Optimus! And the Decepticons stole them away! We're gonna lose the war!"

That sent the troops into a wailing mess. The sparklings had meant so much to them, so much they tagged them as their future and now that they were gone, his troops were hopeless and fearful.

Optimus could do little to nothing for them, but he did try to bring in other things like more stolen goodies, datapads, good news that Autobots had now full possession of Poly Hex...they would just blink wearily up at him, and maybe someone would flash a smile.

He sighed as he walked back to his office. Where could the Decepticons had taken the little sparklings...and why?

 **ooo**

Soundwave had gotten distracted during the execution, and he thrusted a sobbing trio of dripping sparklings to Nighthawk, who was less than pleased. She was supposed to wait for Soundwave to come back, but after standing there for a while, she lost hope for his return. Chances were, he ran off to join the last group of mechs, or his minicons were injured. Nighthawk placed her credits on the last one. Megatron's orders to Soundwave were the law and the spy followed them as if he himself would be executed.

The wailing, squirmy one was harder to deal with as she patted them dry with a warm, fluffy towel.

"Decepticons have the good stuff," she purred as she set them down, tilting her helm this way and that while she poked and prodded. They weren't bad looking sparklings. They were actually...kind of cute...

She recoiled at the word and she growled, spooking the twitchy one. That sent him into an uproar of sobbing so loud, when Megatron commed screaming at her, she could only hear _...get over here now_ , which was probably all she needed to hear.

So she gathered up the sparklings and took her time walking to his trone room.

He was angry, to put it in sparkling safe words.

"Soundwave has been called into battle. Rumble and Frenzy's 'easy mission' failed to destroy the Autobot Outpost Omega Six, and so they were forced into retreat, but have been captured."

So she got some of her credits back. The Autobots would never injure prisoners.

"Since Soundwave is gone, I need you to take care of the sparklings."

She jumped into protective-carrier mode. "My lord, if I may. The Autobots had these sparklings with the hopes in raising them to be Autobots. There's still time to flush the honor and respect out from their systems."

Megatron watched her for a long moment, and then he smiled. "Excellent thinking, Nighthawk...you can raise them."

She opened her mouth to protest, but wisely snapped it shut. She interfered with Megatron's plan, so she had to pay the cost.

She laid the sparklings on her berth, sighing as she watched them. They weren't sleeping.

"I laid you down. You should be sleeping now."

Perceptor giggled at her, and she became offended. She hooked her claws under his chin and drew a little Energon there, but he only winced in pain and paddled his pedes at her arm.

"Oh, don't like that? THEN GO TO SLEEP! I ORDER YOU!"

Red Alert wailed at the harsh sounds against his audios and he curled into a ball, his optics watering and spilling tears down his cheeks. That kicked the other two into sobs and Nighthawk commed Knock Out.

The young field medic/warrior/cosmetic doctor walked in and smiled at the sparklings. "Did know a mech her fancied you."

"They're not mine," she growled. "Make them stop crying."

"Clearly not yours," he chuckled and he lifted the hysterical one. "This one has experience trauma, and won't be easy to live with or care for."

Her optics softened. "What happened to him?"

"Probably was abandoned. They're only a few weeks old, so I'm guessing the mother gave birth, stuffed them in a box and left them somewhere the Autobots could find them. It's happened many times before."

Nighthawk felt protective of the little ones. "Why would someone do that?"

Knock Out looked down at the sparklings. "Probably because they weren't meant to be born."

At that moment, a parasite twisted in Nighthawks belly and she howled, clutching it. Knock Out went to her aid, frowning when she muttered _parasites_.

"Nighthawk," he began as he pulled out his scanner. "I don't think so."

She glared at him. "What do you mean? It has to be. I'm very careful when I frag with Megatron. He _always_ pulls out."

"That's not enough," he looked at her. "I think you're carrying Megatron's sparklings."

She stared at him for a long time. "Can't be. I told you, he pulls out!"

"Nighthawk. That's not good enough. You need to be extra careful when fragging. One drop of fluid has enough coding to create a sparkling, sometimes a trine if your partner was Seeker."

 _Seeker_. She cursed and looked down. _Silverbolt! I'll skin him!_

Knock Out had launched into a lecture, and finished with: "You won't be able to perform your duties soon, so I'll have to tell Megatron you are-"

"Infested with parasites." She smiled. "He'll get the joke," she lied.

No way was she going to allow Megatron to know she was carrying half-breeds!

 **ooo**

The Decepticons were winning, and a promise had been broken. The day the King died, Vos was leveled. Nighthawk said goodbye to her home as she dropped the bomb and circled back around to land on the Nemesis. Her trine was safely tucked in her chamber, but her wings were drooping.

Megatron congratulated her, and his second-to-be mourned his sire and his home. "Starscream," Nighthawk growled. "Come here, you strutless worm..."

She backed him into her quarters. His optics were wide and wild, as if he expected to be raped by this femme just as Megatron raped him. But she opened her chamber and fished out two Seekerlings.

"This is Starsong and Sonicshriek." She dropped them in his servos. "Get rid of them."

They were weak, tiny, and dying. A nice drop from a height only a Seeker Prince could reach was what could easily kill them.

"What about the other one...?"

"Nightshade? No. She must live." She glared at him and she tucked her two children into his chest. "Now go..."

Starscream didn't kill things. He hated killing, and these were Seekers. Had they been grounders, he could have done it, could have convinced himself that it was for their own good, but he couldn't with Seekers.

Their optics were blue. The only way they could have blue optics was if they were Autobots. Decepticons were born with red optics, and there were theories on why. Starscream took off out of her quarters and excused himself for a flight, and since he was leaving...

The nursery was a closet. Drones were born in the dark room, and the Autobot captives were kept there. The little sparklings the Decepticons stole from the Autobots were still there. He lifted them up slowly, soothing the nervous one. He liked him, and he hoped he would stay long enough for them to be bonded, but they had to leave.

Now.

They were tucked into his chamber as well, which wasn't the ideal place to put five sparklings.

As Starscream ran, he thought about the words Megatron could describe him with. Traitor didn't really work. He wasn't a real Decepticon. So far, he had eluded getting the insignia and he was against them now that his home was...gone.

He bit his lip and he stopped running for a moment to breathe, tears rolling down his cheeks. He missed his creators, his trine...the soft squeakings of the sparklings in his chamber soothed and encouraged him forward.

He flew over the ruins of Vos, Tyger Pax, until he landed softly on Iacon's blackened, dirty soil. Immediately, the snipers trained on him flinched. And then he opened his chamber.

Since a Prince hadn't landed on their turf and opened their chamber, they didn't know how to react, and they were frozen. One of the warriors was holding a larger one back, cursing and sputtering from the effort as the squirmy, nervous one was laid on the ground.

His sobs were painful to hear, and Starscream begged someone to come and take them. He disarmed his weapons and stepped back out of reach. The red mech that was being held back tore away and ran to the little one.

"Red! Red Alert!" He shouted and slid on his knees as he grabbed the sobbing thing off the burning plates. Then he looked up and relief was replaced with fury. "You took them!"

"No. Nighthawk did..." He knelt and scooped out the rest of the sparklings, leaving the Seekerlings for last. "Where is your Prime?"

Optimus came forward immediately. "What is it, young Prince?"

Starscream stood, and bowed a little. He wasn't dumb. Optimus held great power, and if he were King of Vos like he should have been before Megatron interfered, it would be Optimus bowing to him.

Optimus dismissed him, and focused on the wriggling Seekerlings in his servos.

"For the troops, and your trouble..." He dusted them off a bit and sighed. "They're dying. Their mother wanted nothing to do with them, and I'm pretty sure the little mechling won't make it, but you're welcome to try. The femme is Starsong and the mechling is Sonicshriek, and Primus knows why he's called that."

Optimus didn't take them. "Why are you doing this?"

Starscream's optics dimmed. "That tyrant killed my home, too. I'll always be shifty with him. This isn't me joining the Autobots. This is me showing Megatron a lesson. When he killed my family, he created a bot that can and will fight to kill him."

Optimus slowly took the squirming gifts and he watched the Seeker Prince take to the skies.

The Autobots walked back to their bunker to store the sparklings away.

That night, there was a ceasefire to _punish an unruly Prince_. Optimus prayed that Megatron grew bored like he always did during punishments.

Red Alert, Aid, and Perceptor were skinny and eager to cuddle back up to their friends. They wailed and whimpered under their servos and kisses, and the Seekerlings were quiet, snuffling around on their pillow and fluttering their wings weakly.

Ratchet checked them out. "The femme will lose her wings," he said, ignoring the groans and sighs. "But the mechling is just a runt and has the usual symptoms of being smaller. They'll grow rapidly, and we'll have to teach the mechling to fly, but we have Silverbolt for that."

"Finally," someone said, "something we actually need him for."

The base laughed for the first time in months and Optimus clapped his servos as he rose. "Time to bathe."

No one rose. Instead, the quiet mech held up the bathing bucket and the sparklings squealed in delight. Optimus rolled his optics playfully and he took it to fill it with warm water and soap.

Perceptor splashed in the water and squealed when someone gave him a soap hat. Red Alert was giggling as Inferno bathed him, tickling his pede with the rag like he wanted. Aid was already asleep in Ratchet's arms, kicking his pedes and twitching under the loving gazes of his family.

The Seekerlings were harder to embrace. They were strange, needy, and different. Inferno tried to handle Sonicshriek, but he seemed to offend the Seekerling with the rag. The femme was no better in Optimus' servos, and she ended up digging her claws into his servo.

Silverbolt walked in and saw the Seekerlings, his optics wide. "Where did those come from?"

"Starscream. Said their mother didn't want 'em." Brawn fussed over the mechling trying to get him to lay still.

"Where's the third?"

They stared at him as if he sprouted extra arms and a second helm.

"Seekerlings are born in threes," he explained as he took the femme. He turned her around, shaking his helm. "These definitely suffered from a larger sibling."

Again, they stared at him.

"I know these things, okay? I had younger trines as siblings..." He took the mechling, and they soothed by his spark.

"Well, they certainly seem to like you." Optimus stood. "All in favor of Silverbolt taking Seekerling duty?"

"AYE!" Everyone screamed and hurried into the wash racks, leaving Silverbolt alone.

He sat down on his bunk, curling them into his sheets. "Don't be restless...they hate me enough as it is." He stroked their helms, smiling gently down at them. "You know, I've always wanted to have sparklings of my own."

 ***Makes a mistake, thinks about mistake obsessively, wants to fix mistake, but doesn't want to go back and make extreme edits* ...Maybe no one will notice? XD Seriously, made a big error, but I don't think it changes much, just a name XD And I'm thinking about having sparklings appear left and right, but casually. I mean, what about Huffer and Bumblebee? They seem very young! (My favorite is during Child's Play when the Decepticons have Bumblebee at the last minute and his** _ **faaaace**_ **!) And Huffer and Brawn seem a little close (like when Brawn went to save Huffer {That was Huffer, right?} and he said his fears were water and fire {so of course they're in the water with burning patches of oil all around, I mean, why not?}). And what about Arcee? She seems young! Young-ish! What about Elita? How did the little femmes become Autobots?**

 **AND OF COURSE THE DINOBOTS! YESSS~ I'm thinking about going towards the Fall of Cybertron/War of Cybertron route, where they're already there and this scientific experiment turned them into Dinobots (Thank you, Shockwave). If I'm wrong, correct me, but I saw the trailer/clips of the games and Grimlock was dragging a sword behind him and I HAD GOOSEBUMPS!**

 **Are there any other young-looking/acting bots/cons out there? Oooooohhh...the minicons could be sparklings. Sparklings of Death. Maybe not, but I think I might run with it anyway. They could act like sparklings due to too many shots to the brain. (I LOVE RUMBLE).**

 **Kinda long, possibly confusing Author's Note, but I needed something to write about. I was getting almost bored with this chapter. Next, there will probably be a time lapse, and the sparklings will be older and grown up, and accepting new orphans into the ranks...**

 **Is this fic getting away from the intended plot line?**

 **Yes. Yes it is.**

 **Do I care/want to fix it?**

 **Nah, not really. How about you guys?**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Twenty million years later...**_

Optimus leaned against the doorway, watching the small number of troops. He traded soldiers back and forth with other Outposts, and sometimes he got mechs that proved their worth, and some he wished he had said he didn't want anymore bots.

Sonicshriek was not one of those mechs, and neither was the mech called Hound.

When Outposts were destroyed, he got mechs back, and their Outpost was due for an upgrade.

Silverbolt had taught the Seekerlings to fly and they learned quickly how to fight, though the other three were not interested in combat.

Aid, who became First Aid, was a medic, and Perceptor was a scientist, and Red Alert was Inferno's partner, rarely stepping onto the battle field. He worked on and off with Percy and First Aid, but spent his time around Inferno.

"There are legends of an Energon fountain," Optimus said as he played his card game with Jazz, Ironhide, and Sonicshriek.

Jazz won five times in a row, and he was working on six times as Optimus tried to bring conversation around to the fountain.

Sonicshriek shrugged his shoulders, his sister leaning against his back, nestled between his wings. He dropped his winning cards and gathered his won "troops" back into his servos. "I wouldn't place any bets on it."

Ironhide grunted. "I wouldn't place bets on me, either." He waved his last card before he dropped it, but he won that round and he was back to fighting. He took back his previous comment with _bring in the bets_.

"If it has any chance of existing, let's go find it," Jazz said. He lost round after round, but with his last two cards, he won the next round. He stuck his glossa out at his friends.

"Send the Seekers," someone said. "We don't have any need for airstrike anytime soon."

Optimus waved his servo so they knew they were heard. "I will possibly go with them to ensure the mission's progress." He knew Sonicshriek could get easily distracted.

"Sounds like we have another mission on our servos," Jazz said as he dropped his last cards in defeat. "Everyone, Optimus Prime won Cyber-War."

There was a round of applause, and then the Prime got up and tossed a small bow. Then he turned to his Seekers. "Ready to leave?"

It was late, and the others were planning a run at Six Lasers where there was a small Decepticon outpost with large amounts of weapons and Energon.

Before he left with the three Seekers, he turned and pointed. "Ironhide is in charge. Comm links must be online and operational at all times. I will come back later. Soon."

The Autobots stared at the closing door. As soon as it shut and locked, Brawn brought out the stolen High Grade cubes to celebrate the future capture of a Decepticon outpost.

 **ooo**

Sonicshriek looked around the plates of Cybertron, his wings twitching and moving until he lifted a plate. He was very smart, and had sensors built for finding hidden tunnels and rooms, but he was only used on certain missions. If he was in a dark place with no way to see or hear, he was utterly useless, a mess of self-pity and despair. And then he'd get mad and attack anything in reach. Brawn still didn't want to be on a mission with him.

Silverbolt congratulated him and pushed him aside so Optimus could look down into the hole.

"It appears to be one of many vents for Cybertron. We should venture with caution. Silverbolt first."

Silverbolt was, as previously mentioned, an excellent decoy. Out of the three Seekers, Optimus couldn't stand to lose any of them, but if it came right down to it, Silverbolt was to be the first to go. And he was anxious in dark places. Any sound to his audios would be amplified and would alert him to danger (or a cyber-rat, but preferably danger) before it rounded the corner.

When the tunnel began to slope downward, Silverbolt jumped first, and Optimus waited his turn to jump down as well, glancing behind him and turning on his lights to see.

Nothing. He jumped down the hole and landed rather lightly on the ground in front of the Seekers, who blinked and shifted their wings if they could. Starsong's remained limp on her back. She led them down the long tunnel, stopping when she picked up the sounds of recharge.

Hundreds of Insecticons were snoozing, one of the younger ones twitching and licking its Energon-covered lips. A closer examination revealed they were all either slightly covered in Energon or drenched in it.

"It's like they took a bath in the stuff," Silverbolt muttered.

"The fountain must be near."

Starsong led the way again, stopping when there was a cave with light. There was the sound of Energon (which sounded like rain on parched sand), and Silverbolt ran out, gasping at the amount of Energon in the fountain in the center of the cave.

Femmes and mechs were around it, drinking out of cups, their servos, letting their sparklings suck the fuel off their digits. Starsong's tank rumbled, and all optics were on them.

"Visitors!" The largest mech walked toward them and smiled, opening his arms large enough to embrace Omega Supreme. "You all look dreadful..."

While servos stroked and patted their armor, the confused bots blinked and looked around the cave.

Silverbolt pushed them back. "There's a war going on..."

"We are aware," one of the older mechs snapped. He was missing a leg, using a long metal rod from Iacon based off its silvery-gold shine as a crutch. "We refuse to participate or tend to anyone associated."

Starsong folded her servos over her chest. "But we're Autobots, the good ones. We plan to win Cybertron back! For freedom!"  
The cry landed on its face, and the old mech was puffing up with pride as the Cybertronians backed up and circled him instead. "By doing what? Fighting? No. We refuse to fight. We are too old, too young to be involved with your bickering."

Optimus listened, tilting his helm as he took everything in as he always did before he spoke. "How long do you plan to stay out of the war? With your fountain of Energon, bots and cons alike will come looking for it."

"We'll protect the fountain," the mech grumbled as he shifted his weight. "By whatever means necessary."

"By fighting?" Sonicshriek walked forward, chuckling and shaking his helm. He dipped his servo into the Energon and he flicked it at the closest sparkling, who giggled while his carrier pulled him back. "I heard about hypocrites. I never thought I'd see one up close. And, boy, are you ugly."

The mech rounded on him. "Didn't your carrier tell you to treat your elders with respect?"

"I AM THE PRODUCT OF WAR!" Sonicshriek's voice filled the cave. "I know no father, no mother. I have one sibling when I should have two." His optics darkened. He had a short temper, a short fuse. Optimus wished he could soothe the Seeker, but too many Cybertronians were between him and the mech for him to reach him quick enough.

"You think you know pain? You do not," Sonicshriek growled as he straightened, standing on the fountain's first level when more Cybertronians crept out in curiosity. "I know pain. I have lost no limbs, but I know pain. I know physical, emotional, and mental. It happens above the plates, above your very helms!" He squatted then, lifted a sparkling. "These are the future. Protect them, but do not shelter. Let them go where they please, but keep a leash on them. These will save us, but not when you keep them here, sheltering them in boxes and wrapping them in your arms so tight they can hardly move..." He held the yellow runt close, and offered it out, but no carrier came to claim him.

"An Orphan of War," the mech growled. Sonicshriek's wings drooped. "You two belong together," he sneered. "Leave now. You've overstayed your welcome."

He turned to walk away, but a few femmes, some carrying, some holding newborns, remained to give the Autobots fuel. They wrapped the little sparkling in a blanket and gave Optimus a large amount of the fountain's Energon, telling him that they would pray for him and his troops.

"I go with!" Someone shouted, and a black and white mech pushed himself through. "I go with," he said lower as he stood before Optimus. "I was an officer, but after my cadet was lost...I ran. My name is Prowl, by the way." He seemed to perk up then, a survivor of a terrible wound.

Optimus touched his shoulder and he pushed him to stand beside Silverbolt, who patted his shoulder. "Anyone else who will come?"

The old mech was glaring at them, having lost two followers already. He struck his crutch on the ground, and Optimus nodded to him. He herded his troop of misfits out, helping them back up to the surface.

Starsong was melancholy. "We failed," she whispered. "We came to find Energon for the troops and we-"

"Found more soldiers and more Energon than we will know what to deal with," Optimus finished. "Nothing we do is a success or a failure. It is progress towards our goal, be it steps forward or back."

 **ooo**

"EVERYTHING YOU DO IS A FAILURE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO!" Megatron swung his servo and struck Starscream across the face. He was still upset about the disappearance of the Autobot sparklings, and it didn't help that he learned of Nighthawk's Seekerlings. She was next in line for a beating, ahead of St3v3, a drone with more personality than Megatron had warranted.

Starscream laid still. "You destroyed my home!"

"And my home is currently under seige!" Megatron's pede came down on the mech's face with a sickening crunch.

Starscream struggled, and then laid still under his master's pede. When it was lifted, half of his face was crushed and his optic was sparking. Damaged. "How dare you," he wheezed, "think we are in the same fix...the same bloody boat...we're not! YOU AND I ARE DIFFERENT!"

Megatron threw the mech across the room and ripped at his wings, shredding them until the Seeker would no longer fly for a good week until Knock Out would come back from his little raid/freerun around Iacon. Then he shoved the Seeker out and drug Nighthawk in.

She stood in front of him, her wings annoyingly erect and her helm tilted up, but not to see him. She was proud.

"Where they mine?" Megatron snarled as he brought his claws to her stomach. She just stared at him as an answer. He slid the claw up her stomach, making a delicious blue line form on her belly. "Where they?"

"I would die before I carried any scum of yours."

"TRAITOR! I EXILE YOU!"

Her optics betrayed no emotion, and she hissed as drones came to her to escort her to her quarters. They stood outside, and she glared down at her sparkling as it whimpered and tried to be soothed. No one was there to soothe Nighthawk.

"Grow up," she snarled and she grabbed her only possessions, and she left, leaving her sparkling behind while the pathetic thing cried. The drones were unmoved at her sobs, but Starscream stared at Nighthawk.

She stopped, and so did the drones. "Take care of her, will you?" Her optics dimmed for the first time, and her wings dropped to lay on her back. "She's a weak little thing. Can't survive without someone touching her."

The drones were told to clip Nighthawk's wings and push her off the Nemesis' landing pad. She stood there, the main line to her wings snipped so Energon dripped down the length of them and off the tips into the forming puddle below.

"Any last words?"

"What Megatron stands for now is different than what it had been at the beginning of the war. He stood for freedom from castes, from stereotypes, and now he has bound us in chains of our own failures, clipping not only Seeker wings, but of you all." She looked at them over her shoulder. "You are all clipped from your purpose, strung up on his demented mobile so he can just watch you run in circles."

They looked at each other and then the oldest of the two recharged his weapon. "I said last words, not a last speech." And he pushed her.

 **ooo**

The Autobots heard of Nighthawk's exile, and they were anxiously waiting for news of her survival, but from what they heard, it didn't sound like she lasted the fall. Hardly anyone did.

Prowl was settling back into his former shoes he abandoned in the beginning of the war and he was busy tracking down certain bots and bringing them home, but he could not pick up a trace of Nighthawk. "It is as though she disappeared, Optimus," Prowl said once as he walked into the base. Perceptor treated his burn wounds and kept him on his belly in berth for days before Optimus could prompt him again with Cosmos, Seaspray, and Beachcomber.

Prowl was sitll working on the last two.

Cosmos was prowling the skies, finding a base for himself among the stars and always orbiting around until Optimus needed him again.

They could really use another Seeker, but Nighthawk had disappeared.

 **ooo**

Nighthawk wished she could disappear. She had been found by the neutral bots, and they were sickeningly optimistic. She rolled her optics and wished she could strangle each one, but she accepted their gifts and hugs and kisses and _you're so beautiful_ s as if she had received them all the time where she came from.

"We haven't had visitors for a long time before the Autobots came," one of the carrying ( _yuck!_ thought Nighthawk) femmes said as she stroked her bulging belly ( _double yuck!_ ).

She perked up. "Autobots? Came here?"

She giggled and looked away. "Looking for Energon...but Seahawk scared them away. Prowl and a little war orphan went with them. It's too bad...I was hoping Prowl would help me raise these sparklings beside the little yellow mechling."

She leaned forward. "You must be spark broken..." She yawned then, and made a big show of stretching. "I'm pretty tired."

"Oh, yes, of course...I'll come back in the morning, then," she said and she got up slowly. Nighthawk choked out any good-girl thought about helping her fight to her pedes and she smiled wearily, feigning an apologetic blink until she was gone and she rolled over. She was truly alone. She doubted anyone even knew she was gone, but... She considered crying and rejected that thought.

She settled on a soft whimper so light she even questioned if she made a sound at all.


End file.
